Just Five Hours
by Teish
Summary: The Doctor and Aryna Time Lady character of my own creation are both trying to get some sleep, but their companions have other ideas. The tables are turned when the Doctor and Aryna play a prank of their own. Disclaimer: I only own Aryna!


"But, what if…" Alistair started.

"Just… deal with it." Aryna ground out between clenched teeth as she slammed the door to her room behind her. "Just five hours of sleep. I only need to sleep for five hours and then I'll be set for the next week. But can I get five hours without my ridiculous companion knocking on my door because of some completely ridiculous so-called emergency? No! Of course not! Arghhhhhh!" She threw herself on the bed and pulled her pillow over her head as if it would block out the rest of the universe.

She heard someone sigh, 'You too?'

She sat up, "What now?"

'Apparently, both of us are trying to get a bit of shut-eye and our respective companions are making that impossible.'

'Doctor,' she replied mentally, 'Lovely. You must be in the vortex too if I can hear you this clearly.'

'Yep, safest place for the TARDIS while I catch a bit of sleep. Well, _try_ to anyway. There have been no less than eight invented emergencies since I decided to get some rest.'

'You don't think…'

'That they planned this. I'm certainly starting to wonder now.'

'They did complain an inordinate amount about us interrupting their sleep during the incident with the, um, plant.'

'Hmmm, this certainly does seem quite like something they would come up with.'

'We could always toss a sonic screwdriver in their plans…' Aryna thought with a grin.

'What did you have in mind?'

'Well, Doctor, your TARDIS or mine?'

??????????????

Aryna threw open the door to the control room with Alistair in tow. She made a rather comical picture wearing pyjamas and a dressing gown with a satchel tossed over her shoulder. After fiddling with the controls, the TARDIS materialized and without a word, Aryna once again grabbed Alistair's hand and practically dragged him through the door and onto a rather deserted-looking world. She turned to him and snapped,"TARDIS key?"

He had no idea what to make of her mood, thinking that perhaps the prank had gone a little too far and she intended to leave him stranded here, wherever and whenever here was. Wordlessly, he produced his key. He was surprised when she only nodded, and didn't take it from him. "Good, stay out of trouble." She stormed off towards the blue police box just behind her red one. The doors flew open and two humans stumbled out. She passed them without even a wave, and shut the door behind her. The familiar churn of the TARDIS engines filled their ears then the blue box disappeared and it was silent.

Sophie and Scott wandered over to stand next to Alistair. Scott was the first to speak, "I think they're mad."

"That's obvious," Alistair bit back.

"Do you think they'll ever come back for us?" Sophie questioned fearfully.

Alistair eyed the red police box, "Eventually."

??????????????

"Doctor."

"Aryna, good to see you!" He eyed her satchel, "Staying that long are we?"

She reached into the rather small bag and extracted a pillow that could not possibly have fit inside.

"I brought my pillow."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Really, I do have plenty of pillows tucked away in the TARDIS."

"Of course you do, but if I'm going to get any sleep, I want _my_ pillow. It's taken me nearly 178 years to break it in! Nice pyjamas, by the way, Aruvian cotton?"

"Ahhh, yes, I found them on Aruva IV a while back."

"Oh! The seamstress in the city, on that little side street?"

"Yes! That's the one! Fantastic workmanship."

"I know. I really have to get back there sometime. Ah well, ironically, time is something I never seem to have enough of."

"Well, that's the trouble with having all of time and space to choose from, there's no way to see all of it, not even in fourteen lifetimes… Right then, accommodations. Try the seventh room on the left."

Aryna started down the hall and stopped to call over her shoulder, "I'll see you in the morning, Doctor!"

??????????????

Aryna woke feeling greatly refreshed. She sat up and stretched just as there was a knock on her door. "Yes?"

The door opened and the Doctor popped his head in, "Ah good, you are awake! Care for a cup of tea before we collect our mischievous companions?"

"Tea sounds lovely, just give me ten minutes. Meet you in the kitchen?"

"Alrighty!" the Doctor made a face, "Did I really just say that?"

Aryna nodded, a bemused smile on her lips.

"Right, add _that_ to the list of things I hope to never hear myself say again."

Aryna shook her head, she could still hear the Doctor talking to himself as he walked down the corridor. Absolutely crazy that one was. Of course, the same was often said of her as well. She supposed that was why they had been friends for as long as they had.

??????????????

Entering the kitchen, Aryna took a seat at a small table and carefully, sipped the cup of hot tea that the Doctor handed to her.

"Oh, that's a good blend. Bit like Earl Grey, but a touch mellower. Note of something else though that I can't quite identify though…"

"Yes, it is an interesting combination. Actually one of the "retro" blends that I picked up on Earth in 4072."

"Quite a good approximation. How do you suppose they're faring?"

"Oh, I'm sure they're just fine, perhaps wondering if we intend to come back for them, but the planet itself is safe enough," he replied with a shrug.

"Alistair has my TARDIS key, so they probably decided to wait there. I don't imagine that Alistair was too worried about the thought of us never coming back, not when he realized that I'd certainly be back for my TARDIS soon enough!"

"I think a little worry on their part is due them for their plot to keep either of us from sleeping!"

Aryna laughed, "I quite agree!" She took another sip of her tea and laughed again. She kept laughing until she was nearly doubled over.

"What?" the Doctor said with the exasperation of someone who hasn't been let in on the joke.

"I just thought of something," Aryna replied breathlessly, while trying to control her laughter enough to converse. "They are going to eventually wonder what we did while we were gone."

The Doctor looked slightly confused, "And?" he prompted. To which Aryna broke out in uncontrolled laughter again. Realization dawned slowly and he grinned, "Oh." He started to chuckle.

"You know what they're going to think?" Aryna giggled.

"Oh yes."

They looked at each other and fell into fits of laughter once again. Humans were quite fascinating and surprising most of the time, but in some ways, they were quite predictable.

After finally gaining some control over themselves, Aryna and the Doctor finished their tea and headed back to the planet where their companions were stranded.

??????????????

The three companions sat in the TARDIS control room in silence for quite some time. Sophie was the first to break it.

"So," she began, "Where do you think they went?"

Alistair sighed, "They probably didn't _go_ anywhere. Considering how miffed Aryna was about me interrupting her sleep, I think they decided to just ditch the lot of us while they got some shut-eye. You said that the Doctor wasn't exactly thrilled about the two of you waking him every ten minutes or so."

Scott shrugged nonchalantly, "Eh, I still say they got what was coming to them. They didn't hesitate to wake us up whenever it suited them during that thing with the, uh, with the, plant-ish type, uh, thing. It's not our fault if they can't take a little joke."

"We probably did take things a bit _too_ far. I guess they had a reason to be a little irritated. At least they left us here with a TARDIS. We're safe in here anyway," Alistair added.

"When do you think they'll be back?" Sophie asked him anxiously.

"I guess when they are done catching up on their sleep," he replied.

Scott grinned, "Or whenever they get done doing whatever else they might be up to, eh?"

"What do you mean?" Sophie asked, aghast.

"You know exactly what I mean, sis. After all, they're the last of the Time Lords and all…"

Sophie turned bright red and even Alistair was enough of a gentleman that he had a tinge of pink in his ears. Scott laughed at both of them.

"What? We're all adults here. Not like it's that unthinkable."

Alistair took it upon himself to change the subject, "So, who wants a cup of tea?"

??????????????

"Here we are then," the Doctor announced cheerfully.

Aryna turned to the Doctor, "Thank you, you've been a wonderful host. Although, has anyone ever told you that you dream, _really_ loudly. Does make it a bit harder to get to sleep."

"Really, no one ever complained before… of course, not many telepathic traveling companions along the way."

"True enough, still, thank you for the hospitality."

"For you, any time."

"Time for you to collect Scott and Sophie and for me to return to my TARDIS."

"You're still looking for them, aren't you?"

Aryna was quiet for a few minutes before answering, "I have to. What else would I do? Anyway, there are plenty of people who need my help along the way. Yours too for that matter. Last of the Time Lords, watching over time and space, just like always." She smiled, slung her satchel over her shoulder and walked out of the TARDIS.

The Doctor quickly exited behind her and observed their companions watching nervously some distance away. With a mischievous grin he spun Aryna around and ignoring the look of shock and confusion on her face, he kissed her. She stepped back and was about to ask him if he was completely daft when he winked and whispered, "Just to keep them guessing."

Aryna stifled a laugh and schooled her features before walking back to her familiar red police box. She entered and discarded her bag near the door. She was already fiddling with the controls when Alistair entered.

"Off we go then!" she smiled at her traveling companion.

He looked slightly perplexed, "So…"

Aryna looked up absently, "Yes?" she prompted.

"You and the Doctor…" Alistair let the unspoken question hang in the air.

"What? Honestly Alistair, are you going to finish _any_ of your sentences today?"

A faint pink colored his face and he mumbled, "Nothing, just… nope… never mind. I really don't want to know."

Aryna pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed with exasperation, "Alistair, you aren't making any sense at all. Perhaps you need some sleep."

He turned a shade closer to red, "Yeah, I'll just go, uh, sleep… maybe. See you later."

As soon as he had left the control room, Aryna burst out laughing once again. Let that be a lesson to their companions, never play a prank on a Time Lord.


End file.
